Victory Moon’s great deeds recalled

Victory Moon has a special place in South African racing history but, surprising to many, he raced just once in this country. Another little-known fact: he never won a Grade 1 race, yet he was rated highly enough to contest some of the grandest events in the world – in the UK and Dubai.

Saturday’s Victory Moon Stakes at Turffontein honours a colt who played a major role in putting his homeland on the modern world racing map and helped build the legend of his trainer, Mike de Kock.

The son of champion sire Al Mufti (by the illustrious Roberto) and the mare Dancing Flower (by Dancing Champ) was born at Litchfield Stud in Western Cape. Victory Moon was purchased as a yearling by the Mad Syndicate and put in De Kock’s care at Randjesfontein. The galloping talent was evident early on and he easily justified 2-1 favouritism on debut in a 1200m sprint at Scottsville.

At the time, De Kock was planning his first venture to Dubai and – along with Durban July champ Ipi Tombe – the raw juvenile became part of a five-horse raiding party to the desert.

Royal Ascot

A sprint win at Jebel Ali in early 2003 was followed by an eye-opening nine-length demolition of opponents in the Al Nakhlee over 1700m at Nad Al Sheba.

Something special was brewing and high hopes were realised when Victory Moon won both the UAE 2000 Guineas and the Grade 2 UAE Derby – the latter in front of a global TV audience on World Cup night. Sensationally, Ipi Tombe also won at that meeting.

Victory Moon was whisked to the UK to test his burgeoning ability on the greatest of turf stages, Royal Ascot. But he didn’t shape in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes over a mile, which was too sharp for him.

Still only three years old, the colt redeemed himself in the Group 1 1800m Coral Eclipse at Sandown, finishing fifth of 15. The next assignment, the King George V1 & Queen Elizabeth at Ascot, was a disappointment and he looked flat after a long campaign.

Back at And Al Sheba in 2004, after a six-month break, Victory Moon was quickly back in form, winning two legs of the Maktoum Challenge and then tackling the World Cup itself.

On a memorable night, two American titans, Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia D’Oro, fought out the finish with the pride of South Africa a distinguished third.

Horse of the Year

From 13 starts, Victory Moon won seven times and placed thrice, collecting more than US$2.4-million. He was ranked seventh best horse in the world and named Dubai’s Horse of the Year in 2004.

The Mad Syndicate was dissolved and co-owner Dean Maroun bought back his pride and joy for a whopping R5-million, retiring him to stud at Maine Chance. In four breeding seasons, he had some notable success, with prolific stakes winner Princess Victoria his standout offspring. He died suddenly in 2009 – taken too soon for a multitude of fans and a grateful racing industry.

There’s nothing remotely in Victory Moon’s class in the field for his commemoration at the weekend. However, the Grade 3 event is an important prep run for the R6-million Grade 1 Summer Cup at the end of the month and 11 of the carded runners are entries for Joburg’s premier race.

One of the three non-Cup hopefuls, Greeting My Master from Alec Laird’s stable, is the current favourite – partly thanks to a feather-light impost of just 51kg.

Market rival Main Defender carries 11kg more, while last year’s Victory Moon winner Atticus Finch is third on the betting boards off a burden of just 54kg.